Though our music disguises it well, one hour of Mojo is surprisingly athletic. It’s an excellent way to burn unwanted pounds, challenge our heart rate, wash away stress and whittle our curves, however, it’s imperative to take necessary precautions to keep our bodies safe from injury. The following has been a hot topic with Mojo friends, so forgive me for going here once again.
Even if you’re doing low impact Mojo, one hour is a lot, especially if you’re doing it two, three times a week. If you’re someone who chooses to do our hi impact movements (skipping, jumping), I hope you will consider, if you aren’t already, wearing running shoes which are made to minimize the shock to your body. If you were to tell a store clerk you are buying shoes for a “Zumba” or dance class, they will very likely give you a cross trainer or court shoe, which provides support moving side to side, but not enough cushion to protect your body from an hour of Mojo. Most dance classes have lots of turns, and sudden changes in direction. Mojo choreography is fairly straight forward – for good reason. I choose to avoid tricky, unsafe movements so we can focus on intensity.
In the last 3 months, I’ve started wearing over-the-counter “sport” orthotics, designed to absorb shock, and it’s made all the difference in the world. Love them! I use to think orthotics were for people who were already experiencing pain, but this is not the case. It’s for preventative reasons too. I’m not sure how long I’ll continue jumping and bouncing as much as I do, but for now my body is still smiling. Julie Wood, Maria Gumas and Caroline O’Halloran have all started using orthotics and have been pleased with the results as well.
Worth repeating: You should replace your running shoes as often per year as you work out per week. Shoes age from the inside out. If your shoes look old on the outside, they’re long overdue!
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